Captain Kangaroo

If Chuck Amato likes him, I like him!

At the Signing Day press conference Bowden discussed the essentially empty InfoCision and said (paraphrased) - To-date the people haven't come, but it isn't their fault. It's the University's fault. They haven't given the people a product worth following." The guy speaks the truth.

Why do you perform better research for a message board post than an ABJ writer does for a feature column?

I type the following only on the off-chance someone might read your post and accidentally think it had any value. Following the three consecutive 1-11 seasons (not all with a different coach - the last one was with Bowden), we went 5-7, 5-7. To twist Akron's won/lost record over the 2009 - 2014 seasons (this isn't ancient history, it is all in InfoCision), and act like the Zips are some sort of winning program is beyond laughable. The cold hard facts are the Zips have openened InfoCision with a sparkling 16 - 56 record. You write the Zips were 17W - 13L. The truth is - the Zips were 5-7 & 5-7 in 2013 + 2014. And in 2015, were 3-5 going into November. And, as some have difficulty in comprehending, of course I'm only referring to the ABJ here...you can't use 2015 as a reference for stating "winning didn't help attendance." It's flat-out stupid. Losing wasn't "a long time ago." It was BIG TIME losing, and it held steadfast until as recently as last year. Does anyone realize that, rolling into November 2015, the Zips were 19- 61 since 2009? 19W-61L...yet some want to spin this as "a long time ago." Unbelievable. I will agree with you regarding one point: "Success", as you define it, will not change anything. If the Zips successfully go 19W - 61L over the next 5+ seasons, the stadium will be empty.

I received an email from UA asking season ticket holders to refrain from going to the walk-up bobble head table and trying to get a 2nd doll. That's funny.

Why do you think support has been low? What has been consistent with Akron football for the past 25 years, and does that consistency lead to increased attendance? What new stadium in the history of mankind, has yielded a packed house when it's occupants lose 70+ percent of their games, over a decade? Until the final month of the 2015 season, that has been nothing provided for a UA student to get interested in Zips football. 1 month of good football doesn't overcome 25 years of ineptitude. Students have the right to bitch when their general fees are being used to bail out bungling ineptitude. They have less of an arguement when the teams are winning, and they can actually enjoys what should be a really cool part of being a college student. It's his own fault. You reap what you sew, and when you sow 1-11 teams, your have nothing to Market. And you need only to look in the mirror to see why. I can't see where UA is going overboard to cater to the students. They give away fee hats, some pizza, and a free year at school (which a UA janitor's kid gets too...it doesn't break the bank). I hate those stupid vouchers. People hand them out like Confederate money at games...it's just a way to tack on $5.00 per ticket to your fee, where they hope you don't use them so they make $5.00 extra per attendee. Most people I know tailgate before the game, and don't want crappy pizza and hot dogs during it. Again I will state - 1 month of good football doesn't overcome 25 years of ineptitude. Like shampoo, you need to lather, rinse and repeat. I hope Bowden creates a winner here too. I think he will. One thing is proven - There are only about 3,000 idiots like you and me that will consistently show up for bad football. What isn't proven is - How many smart people will give Zips football a fresh look if they start consistently putting W's in the win column?

Because our seed would be lower? Or because losing games means we aren't playing good basketball? Or both?

It's missing a reference to Ryan Bain.

K.e.n.t board has 4 posts Defeat anticipated Dead frog enema

Yo K92 With a bobblhead of Dru ESPNU

You are correct. Bias is the one the Zips are considering. He's small, but long snappers don't need to be big. Mike Buddenberg is 5' 11" 185, and he does a great job.

USA...USA...USA!!

We now have a great product and a great venue. Time to start filling InfoCision up! I know the ABJ thinks a 3-5 record rolling into November, with monsoon-esque weather, should have packed the stands...but maybe...just maybe...they're profoundly ignorant? It will take 2-3 years of winning football, and smart Marketing, to get attendance where it should be (18k+/game average). It scares me a bit when I see food trucks and bands being relied upon for 2016 Football Marketing (does anyone go to a football game to eat food from a truck, or listen to a crappy cover band?). But time will tell.

Too bad we aren't clever, like the Flash fans.

UNC, Wichita State and Iowa State were all Top 25 when UNI beat them.

I'll assume he meant "MAC" and not NFL. And in the past 20 years, "Best Defensive Zip"accolades could be argued amongst Smith, Taylor & Brown. Blackburn had a nice NFL career, but in his college days he wasn't the gamechanger that was Dwight Smith.

Northern Iowa boasts 3 Top 25 wins this season.

Fun game to watch tonight. i though Buffalo played their asses off. Good size, and for long stretches they out-worked the Zips. Great perimeter defense. I like their coach...he'll be dangerous with some depth and talent. Hell...they're dangerous enough right now. The Zips woke up with 5 minutes to go in the first half, and after that I never really thought the game was in doubt. Multiple great performances. Welcome back Ace. The team's offensive chemistry has really solidified over the past month. Double team Big Dog and we find the open man on the perimeter...don't double team him, and he takes it to the rack. And he drains his free throws. When do the Big Dog "MVP" chants begin? Defense has some work to do, but is definitely improving. Fun Tuesday night. Thanks, Zips!

Like I said a few days ago...

The major point of the author is - "Despite the football team having a winning record, attendance did not improve." That is asinine. The weather was a contributing factor. It rained virtually every game. But the author needed Larry Williams to inform him. The team finished 8-5. Winning their last 5 games. So when the season was 60% complete, the Zips were 3-5. The author somehow believes the Zips home attendance should have shown a massive improvement with 2 home games remaining, heading into November with a 3-5 record. That's asinine. The University of Akron constructed a new football stadium and entrusted it to Tom Wistercill. Wistercill could have hired anyone to get the Zips football program rolling, and he chose Rob Ianello. The same Rob Ianello that went 1-11 for two consecutive seasons and essentially took napalm to our football program. The same Rob Ianello that has since been fired at Kansas, and is now a sideline toadie at Buffalo. THAT is the article that should be written. But that takes investigation and effort, and dolts need to write about simple stuff. So it never will be written. Can't wait for that same stupid tripe to be written for the 4th time in about 3 months. Nice job ABJ.

Of all the vapid, ignorant columns I've read in the ABJ regarding Zips home football attendance, that was the most-recent.

Regarding Tassel Cap-gate 2015: At least the students that U-turned through the turnstiles got Akron hats to wear around campus. When I've gone to basketball games I've spotted many of them. If a Zips hat replaced a Buckeye hat on campus, that's a win.

As I approach my 50th year on the planet, whether I get a doll or a tassel cap means increasingly less. Hope whomever gets their dolls enjoys them. And those who don't find the appropriate therapist to make peace with it.

George is all over anything Buckeye-related.

I'd be happy if we had an RB that could gain 1 yard when we need it, instead of having to bring in a DL. He's hardly toted the ball in 4 years, and will be running behind a completely re-vamped OL, so he may get off to a slow start. But I'd expect some good numbers out of him by year's end. We haven't had a 1,000 yard rusher in 10 years.